Causality Continued Redux
by JanetD
Summary: A second take on what happens after Nick and Burton leave the bar in "Causality". This story was written after "Privilege".


Title: Causality Continued Redux (1/1)  
Date Written: 2/08/02  
Author: JanetD  
Rating: PG (mild language)  
Summary: This story is a different take on what happens after Nick and Burton leave the bar in . It follows the thread established in the opening scene of , but it really concentrates on Burton's internal monologue as he drives Nick to his house.  
Author's Notes: This is my second take on what happens after the closing credits of . My first story (Causality Continued) was written before aired, and we learned that Burton had taken Nick back to his home, rather than Nick's.  
Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction. The characters in this story are borrowed from the TV show "The Guardian". No money is being made from this story. Any resemblance of a character in this story to any real person living or dead is purely coincidental.  
  
  
Prologue: from   
It was 2:00AM on a Friday night, and Nick had just gotten into a fight with two guys in the Incline. They had him down on the floor kicking him when Burton came in from outside, and stopped the fight by threatening them with a broken bottle. The following conversation took place as Burton helped Nick to his feet.  
  
Burton: Nicholas, you okay? (as he bends down to Nick, and starts to roll him over onto his back)  
Nick: Ahh,Dad.... Dad, I just screwed up.  
Burton: I know. I know.   
Nick: I'm a screw-up.  
Burton: I can help you.   
Nick: I'm a screw-up!  
Burton: Come on. Let me help you. Get up. We'd better get out of here before the police come. Come on. Come on. That's it. (as he helped Nick to his feet).  
  
Burton bent down to grab Nick's suit jacket, and then helped his son walk to the door. Nick was partially bend over in pain, and making small whining sounds as they exited the bar.  
  
----+----  
  
Nick and Burton emerged from the bar, one arm clasped around each other's back. Nick was bent over, and clearly struggling to walk. Burton was supporting a majority of his son's weight. Burton said, Hang on, Nicholas. It's not far. My car is just over here. They proceeded silently for a few steps, and then Burton heard Nick say, I'm sorry, Dad. His voice was ragged, and he began to cough after the words were spoken. Burton replied, That's all right, son. Come on.   
  
Father and son continued slowly to the car. When they reached the passenger door, Burton paused, and retrieved the car keys and alarm remote from his pocket. The car alarm beeped, as he unlocked the car. Shifting Nick's weight a little to one side, he reached out, and opened the passenger-side door. Watch your head, Nicholas, he instructed, as he carefully assisted his son into the front seat. Nick got in with a groan, and immediately bent forward, arms wrapped around his middle. Wait, son. Sit up for a minute so I can get your seat belt on. Nick complied, and Burton fastened the seat belt securely around his son's waist. Nick then returned to his head-forward position.  
  
Burton closed the door, and swiftly made his way around to the other side of the car. He slid into the driver's seat, and looked at Nick for a moment. His son was still uttering small groans of pain. Do you think you're really hurt, Nicholas? Do I need to get you to the hospital? Nick, still bent over, shook his head, and said aloud,   
  
Burton considered for a moment, then put the car in gear, and pulled out onto the road. He had already decided he would take Nick home with him. As he drove through the quiet streets, he found himself shaking his head, and thinking, Nicholas, what am I going to do with you? Christ Almighty! He loved his son, but the boy could be a god-awful trial at times.   
  
Like this latest nonsense. Leaving the firm for Kirk & McGee... then blowing the Sloane deal. He still thought that Nick must have been on SOMETHING at that meeting with McGee and the Sloanes. He had just not been himself. He had been totally unprofessional, and that wasn't like Nick. If he had been anyone other than his own son, Burton knew he would have washed his hands of him right then. He let out a sigh. But he was his son, and although Nicholas sometimes frustrated the hell out of him, he loved him, and wanted the best for him. That was why he hadn't made too much protest about Nick leaving Fallin & Associates for Kirk & McGee. Although it stung like hell, part of him thought that maybe this would turn out to be better for Nick. Maybe it would be better for him to get out from behind his father's shadow. He realized there were pros and cons to being the boss' son. He'd always tried to do what he could to minimize the negative aspects, but he knew Nick couldn't help but wonder sometimes if people thought he'd gotten where he was only because his name was .   
  
Burton turned once more to the maddening question of whether his son was back on drugs. He mentally reviewed that last encounter with Nick in his office. It was true that Nick had not actually denied that he had been using drugs. Instead, he had gone on the offensive, peppering him with accusations about his own suspicions. Burton thought. It made his blood pressure rise just thinking of it. The whole thing had been a disaster.  
  
His mind continued to turn over the events of the past week. Meeting Nick at Anne's grave.... Their confrontation there.... Seeing Nick in the Incline.... Nick had seemed furious with him all week long. It couldn't all just be anger over his mother. That was old territory, old wounds. No, there had to be something else, some other reason.   
  
Burton went over it again. Nick had seemed so resentful, so...hurt...at each of these encounters. The way he was acting you'd almost think Burton had pushed him out the door of Fallin & Associates, rather than Nick leaving of his own accord. He was acting as if Burton was the one who had instigated the separation. That must be it, Burton suddenly realized. Somehow, in his head, Nicholas has twisted this around to being MY sending HIM away. It all made sense. Illogical as it was, Nick must be viewing this as another rejection by his father. Burton sighed. Would Nick ever get over the events of the past?  
  
Burton glanced over at his son. His head was still bowed, and he was now crying quietly. He seemed to be completely undone by the drink and the fight. But then he supposed Nicholas' world had come crashing down on him in the last couple days. He'd wrecked the Sloane deal beyond repair -- his first assignment for Kirk & McGee, and then tonight found himself being beaten up in a barroom brawl. Not exactly the turn of events that his proud son would have expected.   
  
The tears still irritated Burton to some degree, however. A part of him wanted to tell Nicholas to suck it up. His son was a grown man after all, 32 years old, but emotionally, in many ways, he was still a teenager.   
  
Burton's thoughts turned again to Nick's employment situation. There was no question about it. For Nicholas' own sake (and Burton's peace of mind) he would have to get Nick back under his wing at Fallin & Associates. His foray into the world beyond his father's sphere of influence had been a disaster! Burton would just have to figure out how to go about it. But, in his mind, it was already a done deal. Nick would come back to Fallin & Associates, where he belonged. He directed another glance at his son. Yes, Nick would come back to the firm. More at peace, now that that decision had been made, he returned his full attention to his driving.  
  
Nick stirred as Burton pulled the sedan into the garage. He had been completely silent for the last half of the trip. Burton stopped the car, turned off the engine and lights. He glanced once at Nick, then got out, and made his way around to the passenger side. He opened the door, and said, We're here, son. Nick straightened slowly, unbuckled his seat belt, and got out of the car. Burton had taken his arm to offer support, but Nick had not needed the assistance. Once out of the car, Nick allowed his father to guide his progress, but he was traveling under his own power now. Watch the step, Burton cautioned, as they entered the house.   
  
Burton flipped on the hallway light, then led Nick to the sofa off the kitchen. Nick sat down heavily, letting out a groan as he did so. He bowed his head, resting his elbows on his knees, and his head in his hands. Burton took off his own overcoat, and then turned his attention back to Nick. Here, son, let me loosen your tie, he said, as he attempted to get at Nick's collar. He succeeded in loosening the tie and unbuttoning a few more buttons on Nick's shirt. Then he bent down to pull off Nick's shoes. As he removed the first shoe, he paused, and eyed it with a frown. He would never understand why Nick wore these...ankle boots, he supposed you'd call them. They were not proper business attire, to his way of thinking. Oh well, that was the least of his concerns tonight.   
  
He assisted Nick to lie down on the couch. As his head came to rest, Nick looked at his father, and said quietly, I'm sorry, Dad. I, I've made a mess of things. Burton replied, It's gonna be all right, son. Everything's gonna be all right. He then went in search of something to cover Nick. He grabbed a multi-colored afghan from the hall closet, and paused a moment, remembering it was one that Anne had made. He had no idea whether Nicholas would remember this, or not. He supposed it didn't really matter, and returned with it to the couch. Nick already had his eyes closed, though his lips were still twisted in a grimace of pain. Burton carefully spread the afghan over his son. He kept the house fairly warm, but he didn't want to risk Nicholas getting cold during the night.  
  
Burton was halfway surprised that Nick hadn't made some protest about being put to bed on his father's couch like this. He'd thought he might offer some resistance when he found Burton had brought him to his house, rather than Nick's own apartment. But his son seemed very subdued, even defeated, after the events of the evening. Burton was grateful that Nick had not contested his decision. He stood there a second, indecisive, before sitting down in the armchair next to the sofa. He really wanted a cigarette, but decided to wait until Nick was fully asleep before lighting up. He didn't want the smell of smoke to disturb him.  
  
After just a few minutes it was obvious that Nick had fallen into a deep sleep. Burton reached for the pack of cigarettes in his pocket, and lit one. He drew a large drag from the cigarette, and leaned back in his chair. He would go to his own bed after finishing his smoke. He was tired. Despite the circumstances, however, he felt a sense of...contentment...having his son under his roof once more. At least tonight he knew where he was, and that he was safe. At least for tonight.... In the morning he would set about convincing Nick that he should come back to work for him. And he did NOT intend to take for an answer.  
  
The End  



End file.
